Engineering Services FAQs

There are over 200 counts completed in a 3-year cycle and each count is performed over a week long duration. Sturgeon County also completes a number of counts on additional roadways as requested for information purposes.

Traffic counts are used to help determine traffic volumes and design standards for the roadways. The 3-year count cycle helps determine changes in traffic patterns so that maintenance and Capital can be appropriately planned and programmed.

Engineering Services should be contacted at 780-939-1323 to ask for information on the condition of any bridge within Sturgeon County. Files are kept on each structure and can be reviewed to provide answers for most questions regarding a structures condition.

There are two different types of Asphalt Concrete Pavement (APC) used throughout Sturgeon County, Cold Mix and Hot Mix. The main factors that determine which type of asphalt is placed are: • Average daily traffic • Percentage of heavy truck traffic • Soil conditions • Required life span of road surface Cold Mix Asphalt can be ripped up, remixed and placed again which is why it is commonly used as a patching material or on roads with lesser traffic volumes. Hot Mix is mainly used on roads with high traffic volumes and a high percentage of heavy truck traffic.

Steel plates are used on roadways when an open excavation occurs. The use of steel plates allows traffic movement to continue to occur until the excavation of the driving surface can be restored. These excavations can be required for many reasons, however the most common cause is to gain access to underground infrastructure to perform new connections, maintenance or repairs.

Engineering Services should be contacted at 780-939-1323 to report these issues. For new installations or maintenance on existing facilities conditions have been agreed to between the County and the utility companies to return Sturgeon County lands to original or better condition upon their completion.